40d:Smelting

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31 · v0.28.181.40d · v0.23

This article is about an older version of DF.

xTATTEREDx · +FINE+ · *SUPERIOR* · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡ · ☼MASTERWORK☼

Smelting is the act of refining raw stone ore(s) into useful bars of pure metal(s) or alloys. Smelting is similar but distinct from Template:L, which reclaims existing metal objects back into (fractional) bars. Metal bars produced at a Template:L are usable in a wide variety of goods, from weapons to goblets to furniture to buildings.

Smelting also refines Template:L or Template:L into Template:L, a Template:L which is equivalent to Template:L. Fuel is required to operate a smelter, metalsmith's forge, kiln, or glass furnace.

Smelting requires the Template:L (or coal) to be processed, a Template:L, either Template:L or (for Template:Ls) Template:L at least 4/7 deep, and a dwarf with the Template:L Template:L enabled. Training in the skill is not required - since bars have no Template:L the only difference is the time the Template:L takes.

Since smelting coke requires Template:L in a conventional (non-magma) smelter, usually one Template:L is burned in a Template:L to create one charcoal to start the process. Alternatives are to bring one bar of charcoal or coke with the expedition at embark, Template:L for one from Template:Ls, or go straight to magma smelters.

Smelting ore results

All ores smelted alone have a % chance of producing a certain kind of bar. The following table shows those chances.

Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L	Template:L
Template:L	100%
Template:L	100%
Template:L	100%
Template:L					100%
Template:L							100%
Template:L		100%
Template:L			100%
Template:L			100%
Template:L			50%							100%
Template:L			20%	100%
Template:L				100%
Template:L				100%
Template:L						100%
Template:L								100%
Template:L									100%
Template:L											100%
Template:L												100%

Note that smelting Template:L often produces only Template:L, which is mostly used in producing Template:L. Additionally, smelting Template:L strands results in wafers, which are needed in greater quantities than bars when creating items.

Coke smelting

Please note that Template:L is not actually smelted, it is burned in the wood Template:L. It is not called Template:L when burned, it is called Template:L.

Template:L smelts into 3 Template:L
Template:L smelts into 2 Template:L
Template:L burns into 1 Template:L

Since smelting coal requires using one unit of fuel, bituminous coal is effectively twice as efficient at producing coke as lignite. You'll need twice as many coke smelters to support your metals production if your source of coke is lignite.

Flux

Flux is a stone that is used in the production of pig iron and steel. 5 types of stone are classified as flux: Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, and Template:L. All function the same way, so if a recipe requires Template:L, any will do.

(In real life, flux helps get the impurities out of the raw metal.)

Alloys

Certain metals can be smelted together to create a new metal called an Template:L. There are 2 sets of recipes for alloys. The first set use only Template:L while the second set use only Template:Ls. You cannot mix the two.

Recipes using ore

Please note that when Template:L or Template:L Template:L is needed, any type of ore that produces Template:L bars or Template:L bars may be used. This means that you can actually make Template:L bars out of just Template:L.

Ingredient 1	Ingredient 2	Output
Template:L Template:L	Template:L Template:L	Template:L bars[2]
Template:L Template:L	Template:L	Template:L bars[2]
Template:L Template:L	Template:L	Template:L bars[2]
Template:L	Template:L Template:L	Template:L bars[2]
Template:L Template:L	Template:L[3]	Template:L bars[4]
Template:L Template:L	Template:L[2]	Template:L bars[3]

Recipes using bars

The following are all the recipes when smelting bars at the smelter.

Ingredient 1	Ingredient 2	Ingredient 3	Ingredient 4	Output
Template:L bars	Template:L bars			Template:L bars
Template:L bars [2]	Template:L bars	Template:L bars		Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bars [2]	Template:L bars	Template:L bars		Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars			Template:L bars [2]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars			Template:L bars [2]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars			Template:L bars [2]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars [3]			Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars [2]	Template:L bars		Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bar	Template:L bars [2]	Template:L bars		Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bars	Template:L¹	Template:L		Template:L bars
Template:L bars	Template:L bars [3]			Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bar	Template:L bars	Template:L¹	Template:L	Template:L bars [2]
Template:L bars [3]	Template:L bars			Template:L bars [4]
Template:L bars	Template:L bars [2]			Template:L bars [3]

^{1: The Template:L used as a reagent for making pig iron and steel bars also counts as the Template:L needed by a conventional (non-magma) Template:L. It is still required at a Template:L for the reaction.}

Note: Every recipe that is not used in Template:L making (except Template:L) requires some Template:L. If you want to have a variety of Template:Ls in your fortress, you will want to conserve this resource.

A spreadsheet listing these recipes can be found at the following link. Work is being done currently to allow a person to input how much ore and bars he has, and the sheet will tell him how many of what kinds of metals he can make. Both Excel and Open Office formats are included: [1]

See also